Sharpton to Bridgeport crowd: You must vote

Linda Conner Lambeck

Updated 11:58 pm, Sunday, November 4, 2012

Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to a get out the vote rally at Mt. Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport on Sunday, November 4, 2012. Sharpton followed a lineup of politicians including Gov. Dannel Malloy, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Congressman Jim Himes, and Congressman Chris Murphy.

From left; Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, Congressman Chris Murphy, and Senator Richard Blumenthal were among those on the speaking roster for a get out the vote rally at Mt. Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport on Sunday, November 4, 2012.
Photo: Brian A. Pounds

BRIDGEPORT -- Too many people have suffered and died giving blacks the right to vote for Bridgeporters not to vote on Election Day, Rev. Al Sharpton told a packed Mount Aery Baptist Church on Sunday night.

Sharpton begged the crowd of at least 300 to get out and vote for President Barack Obama.

"Nobody's shooting you, nobody is bombing your churches, nobody is threatening you," said Sharpton. "You are just too lazy and ungrateful to get out and vote."

Mayor Bill Finch also was there and told the crowd he felt good about Tuesday's big vote. Rev. Anthony Bennett, pastor at Mount Aery, said that though he and Finch are engaged in a tremendous debate on a charter revision question on the ballot Tuesday, Sunday was about something bigger. Voters are being asked to turn the elected city school board into one appointed by the mayor. Bennett and most clergy in the audience Sunday oppose that effort, calling it a civil rights issue.

As such, little mention was made during the speeches about the charter question, although there was a stack of "vote no" fliers at the entrance to the sanctuary. Local NAACP President Carolyn Vermont said she is fearful people who vote will skip over the question or not understand it because it talks about education governance reforms and not who puts the school board in place.

Most of the evening was spent explaining to the crowd why their vote was important.

Sharpton said there should be no option, but to vote, and he said the White House is not the only thing at stake, but the next 1 to 3 seats on the U.S. Supreme Court.

"This is not about what you like, this is about whether you like yourself," said Sharpton. "Things are too serious for us to be joking ... Everything is at stake in this election. We can't allow them to turn back the clock."

Sharpton also urged the crowd to vote for Murphy, who he said would be on Obama's side. Blumenthal carried the same message.

"I want him because he adds to my vote. He won't cancel it out," said Blumenthal, referring to Murphy's Republican challenger, Linda McMahon.